In March this year, the first lesbian couple to marry at Tokyo Disney Resort released pictures of their special day on Twitter, with many netizens strongly supporting their union. Now, the Asahi Shimbun has covered their story in an online article, which has already received thousands of Facebook likes and been re-tweeted and re-blogged countless times.

“Mickey came, and everyone congratulated us. It really was a splendid day” said Higashi Koyuki (28), looking back on the wedding ceremony she and her partner held at Tokyo Disneyland in March. Her partner is Hiroko (35), a company employee. Both the brides wore wedding dresses, and held the first ever lesbian wedding ceremony at Tokyo Disney Resort.

Higashi and her partner Hiroko are lesbians. Higashi hails from Kanazawa, where she also works as a representative for “Rainbow Kanazawa”, an exchange group for sexual minorities such as homosexuals and those with gender identity disorders [transgender people].

The new wedding service at Tokyo Disney Resort was announced in March last year (2012). Higashi inquired about it immediately, but at first the response was that a ceremony for a lesbian couple ‘would be possible if one of the couple wore a tuxedo, and that they looked like a male-female couple”. It was hardly usual, however, for either Higashi or her partner Hiroko to dress as men.

“The fact that they said it was alright if one of us were dressed as a man means that they really weren’t accepting of homosexual weddings”. When a dejected Higashi tweeted about this, it had a huge response.

Higashi first realised that she fell in love with women when she was a student at a high school in Kanazawa. The girl she confessed her crush to already had another female student who she was interested in. It was a shock to Higashi, but she realised that “it was fine to be in love with another girl”.

After graduating high school, she went on to the Takarazuka Music School, where she performed on stage for two years, playing male roles with the stage name “Aura Naoki”. Still, at that time she couldn’t come out as a lesbian. She left Takarazuka after suffering with health problems, became active in a human rights organization for LGBT people.

Higashi acted as the facilitator in a programme broadcast over the internet aimed at homosexual people, and also planned events. It was also through these activities that she met her partner Hiroko. They began living together in summer last year. Even though they have had a marriage ceremony, they have no legal security as a same-sex couple; there are even case where a partner has been refused visitations when they other has been hospitalised through illness or injury. Why was it unacceptable for them to do the things that a male-female couple would normally do? It was that thought that moved them both to action.

In Holland and Spain, same-sex marriages are legally recognised, and even in Germany and France, a system is being introduced whereby the rights of same-sex couples are protected. It is thought that of the more economically developed nations, it is only Japan and Russia where the system for same-sex marriage is entirely inadequate. In a survey by the UK government, that people who are homosexual or transgender [Japanese: gender identity disorders] constitute 6% of the population of the UK. According to Dentsu Research, in Japan this population constitutes 5.2%. If you take it that this is one person in twenty, then it means that LGBT people are alongside you, even in your school or workplace. It’s just that because the person themselves doesn’t make it clear, or perhaps can’t make it clear, that you haven’t noticed.

“When it comes to being loved and feeling happiness, it doesn’t matter if you’re gay or straight. Families come in all shapes and sizes, and we want to send the message that we live as we do, so that it becomes easier for people of all kinds to live more easily”.

I get the impression that this kind of story isn’t so rare these days.

大野典宏:

This is great!

佐々木貴宏:

Seems like this is the first same-sex wedding at Tokyo Disney Resort.

Maruyama Tatsuya:

The sex of the person you will spend your life with is irrelevant. There are also people saying that this correlates with the falling birthrate, but it’s an entirely different issue. We need an environment where homosexual people can work and act freely.

trickster:

Disney Resort is surprisingly tolerant!

周防和仁:

I think it’s a good thing that this is widely accepted. However, if there is the opportunity in the future, I’d like them to cover a wedding ceremony between a male same-sex couple, too.

群良源:

Without Twitter, there may never have been a same-sex marriage between two women. Congratulations!

なぐ:

They look so so happy!! And they’re both beautiful. A lovely couple ～

Ysk6121:

This is a brilliant article.

アーサー加藤の朝飯まえT:

In the land of dreams, there was even a wedding between two women. Let’s look after them warmly!

YoheiYamamuro:

This is so Disney! (In Japan it’s owned by Oriental Land, though.) Still, I bet there are a lot of parents who won’t be able to explain this to his kids.

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Kate

Beautiful brides Good for them for doing what makes them happy in this world

http://twitter.com/KJustinC Justin

wow, i didn’t know gay marriages are accepted here! but congrats!

Ed

It’s funny but most of the Japanese comments are dead on. If this was a marriage between two ugly women or God forbid two gay men, the public would be a hell of a lot less supportive.

markus peg

I agree, tho i don’t know why people would even care, it doesn’t effect us.

ps: i had a gay cat, it kept trying to mount and do the other male cats…

http://www.facebook.com/noah.altman Noah Altman

Strange but true. In a rational world, men are losing out here. Better that they were ugly.

http://www.facebook.com/anabelenruiz90 Ana Belen Ruiz

not true! japanese women love yaoi , they would totally accept it xD

Jay K.

i’d so volunteer to deliver them copious amounts of the peter north sticky icky

linette lee

same sex marriages still not legal. It should be legalized.

Pickle

Why? So all the good looking women in the world like yourself can be unavailable? No way!
Btw, love this photo of you too. Sexy and classy. Show that one with you wearing the dress with your curves. That one had cleavage and hips. And still in good taste for all the prudes.

bluesummers

Wait, you just implied that she’s a lesbian.

Pickle

No. You read into that yourself. I was just using this post as a way to compliment her while saying it was a shame two good looking women getting married and being lesbian keeps them off the market for men. Unless these ladies swung both ways.
My only comparison for Linette is that she is attractive like them. I wasn’t implying that. Just stating a fact.

linette lee

you are too cute. Don’t you see many homo people get themselves into hetero marriages and still end up cheating behind their spouses living a double life. They do that because the society pressure them and they can’t come out of the closet. Imagine you find out your spouse never loved you and she is a lesbo. That is messed up.

Pickle

I know of a case where a gay man married a woman for selfish reasons.
Look, I find it odd that the people you are referring to can not come to grips with their sexuality in accepting attraction to both sexes if they have it. Why must a marriage only have two partners?
Btw, I’d rather have a wife cheat on me with a woman than a man if she were bi.

Reply

Whatever, Pickle. But the idea that these women would not be attracted to you obviously bothers you (see also subsequent comments).

They wouldn’t be even when they were hetero.
Since a) you don’t know them
b) they wouldn’t like guys who have issues with women not being attracted to them.

Go chat up some women outside, you’ll be happier than despairing over random women who are not attracted to you.

Pickle

Idiot. Read my post again before responding to it incorrectly. Dumb ass.

Reply

It’s obvious that you’re annoyed by the idea that even random lesbians from Japan have no interest in you.

Dateless.

Pickle

Genderless troll. That’s what you are.

Reply

Better genderless than dateless.

Pickle

Who would date a gender less thing? I can only imagine what role your hands play down there. Your hands must be confused. Do you even have a urethra? Must be easy going through life never having periods that women suffer with or even minor annoyances like nocturnal emissions that men get.

Reply

Never though of that, but you know a lot about it. Such an easy life as a genderless thing, but you still worry about random Japanese lesbians?

You should enjoy the flowers and trees, oman!

Pickle

Good idea.
I recommend you do the same. Just enjoy those gay marriages and your own gay marriage or whatever the heck you are.

bluesummers

I’m PRETTY sure you implied that she is a lesbian.

Pickle

No I’m pretty SURE you are just looking to post trash.
Are you a pretty girl like your avie? No? Then I don’t care what you think unless you post something of value.

bluesummers

>No I’m pretty SURE you are just looking to post trash.

So says the hotshot whose only motivation to post is to flirt with girls online.

I’m not looking to impress anyone. Least of all you. But I must have made some impression on you as you seem to believe that was my intent. I only wanted linette’s attention. Not yours or anyone else’s on this matter.

Reply

Linette’s and random lesbians from Japan.

Strangerland

Pickle, don’t know if you still read this- but: saying two good-looking women married each other is a shame because it keeps them off the market for men… Is a very homophobic opinion. It’s the same with a straight lady commenting, “such a shame, him being gay keeps him off the market for women!”
Or even as wrong as a homosexual telling a straight guy/girl: “it’s a shame you’re straight- it keeps you off from the market for gays/lesbians!”
No one is entitles to anyone else- unless you’re their lovers/families(and even then- there are limits or you’re considered to be having psychologcal issues).
No matter how good-looking, pretty or handsome a person is- they have their own markets to cater. You telling them that it’s a bad thing because them being in a market preventing other kind of markets to have access to them… Trust me, it’s not a praise as some would believe. Straights like us think LGBT members should be happy or feel good being told that it’s a shame losing them to the other kind of market… But we forget that they have their own niche, they’re not made for our kind of markets since the start. Just like how straights- especially the guys- would find it unflattering if they’re told they should feel good for gay markets think they shoul be entitled to these straight guys’ asses… It’s the same in reverse.

Now, praising the LGBT that they’re sooo good-looking tey would be popular for straight markets… Is a good, pleasant thing. But telling them that “it’s a shame you’re gay/lesbi” just sounds so unsincere, trying to mask a phobic in praise, almost like a self-entitlement “praise” that actually not so much about praising but more about entitlement. I think this is the part where people picked upon when they read your sentence- but don’t really know how to articulate.

If you’re not a homophobic, then take my post as two cents worth of advise for you. It’s not entirely your fault thinking that statement was a praise- it’s likely to be half-hearted attempt of praising by past homophobic/semi-homophobic people to mask their hatred. In the end, live and let live- I’m sure there are pretty women in straight markets too- why bother checking out the lesbian markets’ pretty women?

Jane_Lane

It’s not actually an insult.

Jane_Lane

Banning gay marriage won’t make women want to date you.

Pickle

Who said anything about banning it? Can’t you see someone is just being a clown with such obvious silly comments?
Are you such a rabid lesbian/ militant feminist that if someone even slightly deviates from your opinion you go full on nuts?
There’s no need to be obnoxious. There will be world wide gay marriage. All that time spent marching with signs shouting with veins bursting on brow and neck were not in vain. One day the human race will be just as the bonobo are and you can finally relax. Shriveled and dried up.

Reply

She just wrote one sentence and then YOU went off on a rant about all your frustrations.

The rabid, militant one is you.

Pickle

You two are the same person.
What was that internet meme again? About arguing with retards online makes you a retard too. That’s how I’d feel too if I wasn’t playing around & writing just for kicks not taking this too serious. You saw that as a rant. I was merely mocking “it”.
You really need to get over yourself. Just because someone has a different opinion than you doesn’t mean you need to go ape shit because of it. You love diversity, right? Then you must accept the diverse view points out there as well. Especially minor unimportant topics like this.

Reply

I must do nothing.
I don’t love diversity.

I am glad you call yourself a retard.

Shanae

Don’t care if your comment’s a year old. You are one massively defensive fucking cunt. Fuck off back to Reddit, you Elliot Roger wannabe.

ChuckRamone

Those are some hot lesbians.

bluesummers

Why did they not get two Minnie’s for the wedding photos instead

David

I thought the same thing but I know Mickey is so popular in Japan. Notice the girls are only playing with him.

Ces

as a rule on all disney, there should be only ONE main character visible in the entire park.
specially Mickey.
2 minnies would break the character sense.

ayako

Kinda understandable why they won’t marry Japanese men. I mean who wants to marry a five foot three, 100 pound skinny midget which is called the Japanese “man”?

Guest

Attractive people naturally get surrounded by attractive people. So you are not.

y.m.

well you obviously have never met any Japanese people then. the average height of a japanese male is around 5’7 or 5’8. i can tell that you never had a lover in your whole life.

george

…….or they don’t marry Japanese men because they’re lesbians.

http://plastiqueknife.tumblr.com Christine Pham

When you started out this comment I thought you were going to refer to how Japanese men treat woman, lol. Besides that, I doubt they cared to marry a man at all.

Norm

I think how Japanese men treat women is not bad compared to other countries’ men. Besides their average height is not so low. The ayako’s comment seems to be a racist a little.

http://plastiqueknife.tumblr.com Christine Pham

I’ve been living in Korea for almost 2 years and I was told that attitudes towards women differ in some ways compared to other cultures, even one that is rather close like Japan. How do you think it is when it comes to Korean men vs. Japanese men? I mean I have ideas as to how it’s different compared to “western” men… But in the end.. Men are men lol.

KP

Majority of foreign brides in Korea are Vietnamese. Why don’t you ask them.

http://plastiqueknife.tumblr.com Christine Pham

I don’t think they could quite answer the question about Korean men vs. Japanese men. They probably didn’t/won’t have the experience being with a Japanese guy, and in addition, being bought to be their wife and being of SE Asian ethnicity would most likely cause their treatment to be different (than the treatment they’d have towards say just a regular Korean girl they met in their country).

From my experience it seemed that Korean women in their 30s’ and younger feel that men mostly treated them as equals (but it always depends on the guy, right?). There is a stereotype that Japanese men don’t care for the girl as much, but I don’t have the evidence for that.

http://www.facebook.com/inahson Yaminah Jamison

It always irked me seeing terms like “partner.” Do heterosexual couples refer to their spouse as partners? Just wished the same terms can be applied to homosexual couples too.

Pickle

I’ve seen straight couples call themselves partners too. Just not as often.

Shanae

Everyone on NPR uses it all the time.

http://plastiqueknife.tumblr.com Christine Pham

yeah they do refer to each other as partners sometimes. I usually get the idea they use that term moreso when they decide to not get married, but it seems to be a universal term.

Pickle

I can’t say I support gay marriage especially when I see beauties such as these. But I also think the government should not be in charge of marriage either. It should be between the couple/any number of partners involved and how they live their lives is up to them.

SIGMUND FREUD

No doubt, both of them have deep childhood trauma with boys or men. This isn’t a sweet true love story between 2 women, this actually is a sad story about 2 poor women…

Pickle

It could be just two very vain women who don’t think any man is good enough for them.

anonymepelle

or you know, they could just be sexually attrackted to woman, without having a dark past or any sexist bias towards men. 😛

I think I like that option the best.

Pickle

Yeah they could but I bet with these two women are probably bi with a preference for women.

Jane_Lane

You are the stupidest person here. Congratulations.

Pickle

Typing while speaking to yourself in the mirror again?
In order to avoid such a mistake in the future try doing only one thing at a time.

Pia

I can’t even comprehend the fact that some people think there has to be some ulterior motive if someone is not attracted to men – it just goes to show the sexist ideals we have in society today that something is wrong unless men are involved or that it’s a shame that women are sexually attracted to women ’cause it “puts them off the market for men” (which completely objectifies women by the way.)

lyth

Poor boy, what man hurt you so much to make you straight?

YourSupremeCommander

Give me one day, I can turn them back into heterosexual.

Pickle

Give me one day for each. I don’t care if they turn or not.

Reply

And another one.

You should all date each other. You obviously have the same interests.

god

behold the first step to the fall of the japanese race

HomestuckGirl

Nice try, but you’r not God and the Japanese are doing a lot better than America, Japan is also one of the smartest countries out there

MeCampbell30

The dude in the first picture is loving it.

Pickle

He could be the unknown third.

HomestuckGirl

Don’t get your hopes up

PixelPulse

Such lovely dress too :U best wishes to them.

http://twitter.com/OppressWhiteMan Oppressed White Man

Give me one hour with either lady in the bedroom and I will convert them into heterosexuals if you know what I mean.

Reply

Hahahaha. They’re not interested in you, get over it.

Jane_Lane

Rape is a crime.

nqk123

This suck. I don’t support girl girl love unless it include me in it. I’m all for the guy guy love, the more the better (excluding me of course).

Nucklez

Well you’re just gonna have to live with that? Now aren’t you. :]

http://twitter.com/RedHotRussia Augis Barkov

Even Japanese lesbians look quiet feminine.

src1077

Transgender people do not have a disorder. Welcome to the 21st century.

besudesu

Absolutely. I think a lot of people object to the Japanese term, and rightly so.

Pickle

Going by the definition of a disorder, they do have one. If they feel they are born into a different gender than they really are then it’s certainly not the most optimal condition for them, is it? Until science can mimic what some fish can do naturally and actually change their sex like xy into xx etc, I hope people stop going to places to butcher themselves into something that doesn’t even genuinely change their gender on a superficial level other than deformity.
Let me guess. Someone is going to disagree with this and have a tantrum. Jane Lane, maybe?

luhan

You are confusing sex and gender, trans women are born as women, their sex is male however so their assigned gender is male. genderists such as yourself make me sick, and by the way i’ve seen your other comments and you seem like a needy gross straight man who needs to stop feeling so entitled because you have a dick, women owe you nothing.

Jane_Lane

Well, it’s nice to see that all over the world, there are men who think that lesbians are only lesbians so they can be masturbation fodder.

HomestuckGirl

Yeah, and that’d the sad thing about it. Guys only say yes to Lesbians because they think that they can still squeeze themselves in to make a trio or that they are only Lesbians to give him stuff to masturbate to

Em

Holy shit these two women are amazingly cute together and their appearance shouldn’t matter! It shouldn’t matter if they were two males either. Love is love, and gender is unimportant. I wish we had less closed-minded assholes in the 21st century.

http://twitter.com/CEQUALSMC2 Ian Weston

to the quoted post “So you can have a same-sex wedding ceremony at Disney Resort! Disney is accepting of that kind of thing.”

yes they do, get over it you muppet.

Honestly its just a religious ceremony it means nothing. it’s like having your own make believe day that’s all about you and the person you love. get your head out of your ass and realise we are all individuals who are free to make our own logical decision to do what we want and we should not ever be restricted by illogical ideologies and down right homophobia.

evil_vampire_cat@hotmail.co.uk

so lovely! what a great place to get married and they both look so happy and in love

Peter

mhhh que rico….

Wolowitz

Lesbians mhhhhhh yumi yumi

Sensei Rain

Yuri!!!!

therth

Are they even Japanese?

therth

Indeed, the world is changing. I thought Disneyland was an amusement park for children and their families.